A gas turbine engine generally includes a fan and a core arranged in flow communication with one another. Additionally, the core of the gas turbine engine general includes, in serial flow order, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air is provided from the fan to an inlet of the compressor section where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section. Fuel is mixed with the compressed air and burned within the combustion section to provide combustion gases. The combustion gases are routed from the combustion section to the turbine section. The flow of combustion gasses through the turbine section drives the turbine section and is then routed through the exhaust section, e.g., to atmosphere.
Conventional gas turbine engines include rotor assemblies having shafts, compressors, turbines, couplings, sealing packs, and other elements required for optimal operation under given operating conditions. These rotor assemblies have a mass generating a constant static force due to gravity, and also generate a dynamic force due, e.g., to imbalances in the rotor assembly during operation. Such gas turbine engines include bearings to sustain and support these forces while permitting rotation of the rotor assembly.
At least some known rotary machines use gas bearings where a non-oil lubricated bearings are desired. However, the inventors have observed that some gas bearings require a substantial number of assembled components to provide the necessary functionality to meet dynamic loading requirements. Such a high number of components introduce high complexity, cost, and weight to the gas bearing, thereby limiting potential applications, especially in aerospace gas turbine engines where weight reduction and space envelope is paramount. Moreover, the high number of components increases a size of the gas bearing without providing additional functionality, thereby preventing the gas bearing from being utilized within space limited locations throughout the gas turbine engines, such as aircraft engines. Also, large number of components may reduce the design reliability of the bearing assembly.
Therefore, a gas bearing formed of less components would be useful. More particularly, a gas bearing capable of effectively handling static and dynamic forces during operation while having a reduced size and weight would be particularly beneficial.